During the archaeological excavations that were carried out near the Temple Mount, an inscription was discovered on a course of the Western Wall. It turned out to be from Isaiah (66:14): "You shall see and your heart shall rejoice, your limbs shall flourish like grass." Although it is impossible to date the inscription with certainty, it was probably meant to express the enthusiasm that seized the Jews when the Emperor Julian the Apostate (r. 361-363 CE) decided to rebuild the Temple. Julian, who was called the Apostate by the Christians because he restored the pagan religion, regarded Christianity as a destructive force that would prove ruinous to the empire and wanted to uproot it. To refute Christianity's claim to be the true successor of Judaism, he planned to rebuild the Temple. In a letter to the Jews he wrote: "I too shall build and populate, by my efforts, after I successfully conclude my war against the Persians, the holy city of Jerusalem, which for many years you have yearned to see settled by yourselves, and together with you I shall give glory to the very great God." It is possible, then, that the inscription on the Western Wall may reflect joy at the prospect that the Temple will be rebuilt. In fact, the project was suspended after a fire that broke out at the site, and a month later Julian was killed in battle. His plan was not realized. |
     |
